The Uniting of Percy and Audrey Weasley
by JustAudrey07
Summary: Sequel to "The Unwinding of Percy Weasley". Follows the amazing couple through past nightmares, unexpected visitors, and their journey to and through marriage. Temporary hiatus.
1. Chapter 1

I Can't Quit You, Baby

Audrey Larrabee grunted as she pulled the unprimed canvas tightly over her handmade stretchers, praying she didn't fall and damage the fabric as she straddled what would soon be her boss' next painting. Nash Jennings, widely-acclaimed art genius, was very particular and secretive about his work, and didn't want the critics to even know the dimensions of his next painting until he revealed it to the public. This in-turn meant it was one of Audrey's many duties to frame his canvases for him; along with making his paint, organizing his brushes, helping him set up and design his gallery, keeping his books and schedules straight, reminding him to put trousers on before stepping outside, making sure he didn't set fire to the Daily Profit office if they gave him a bad review, discreetly reminding him the names of important buyers that he had met dozens of times, and a slew of other absurd yet none the less amusing tasks required to keep the art genius from destroying himself.

And she thought her _last _boss had been a handful.

She couldn't help but release a bittersweet sigh as she returned to her awkward and tedious work. Of course she could have the canvas stretched perfectly in a matter of seconds with a wave of her wand. Charms, especially ones revolving around art, had always come quite easy to her as an artistic Ravenclaw, and she had been stretching canvas since she was twelve. But she needed something to do by hand at the moment, craving the distraction and the effort required of manual labor. She had learned over the last few months that it was one of the only ways to deal with certain frustrations, but even as she bit down on her lip to focus on pinning the almost completed canvas she still couldn't help but think one thing:

_I __refuse__ to be one of __those__ girls who can't go a couple days without her boyfriend._

With one canvas down she returned to her wood stock to make another set of stretchers, reminding herself of all the ways in which she was independent. She loved her job more than she thought it was ever possible. Sure Nash was a bit of a trip and she occasionally felt like she had taken a Time-Turner back to her first menial days as a clerk at the Ministry, but for the most part it was wonderful. After a long self-exile she was back in the art world, making connections, learning from a master, and best of all was painting guilt-free once again. The pay was good enough to support her needs and the hours were flexible, allowing her to dedicate time to her own work. And despite the super casual atmosphere of the place (Nash was occasionally inspired to paint in the nude, especially when creating a nature scene, and Audrey had seen far more of her sixty year old, ex-hippie boss than she cared to), she took her work very seriously.

She also had her family. Her siblings David and Ama meant the world to her. They had survived the War and severe hardships coming out closer than ever, and there was nothing in her life that took precedent over her guardianship of them. She also dedicated a lot of time to her Muggle grandmother. Her second husband, Daniel, had passed away years ago, and with her only son permanently housed in a wizard hospital and her two youngest grandchildren off at school, Audrey was the only family she had. Though a tough old bird, Rebecca Larrabee seemed to be worn out on life. Audrey therefore visited frequently to insure her grandmother didn't feel alone. She also saw her father at least twice a week, though these meetings were much harder than an afternoon eating cold soup and watching _EastEnders. _Her father's mind had been permanently addled during the War, something she forever blamed herself for. It was difficult to see her once coolly charming and confident father housed in the Janus Thickey Ward but as he was her only remaining parent she always visited with a smile, treasuring the fleeting moments in which he recognized her as his daughter.

She also had the best girlfriends a witch could ask for. Though vastly different in personal style, Fleur, Angelina and herself matched each other in strength, confidence and trust. They all corresponded daily, lunched and shopped together regularly, often with the adorable Victoire in tow. And though they were all kept happily occupied by their respective Weasley men, they still vehemently agreed that independence and the occasional Ladies' Day Out was a crucial need for any witch.

It was of this she tried to remind herself as she struggled with how much she missed Percy. A girl should be able to go a couple of days without her boyfriend, no matter how much she loved him. Sporadic separation was healthy for a relationship, and she should be excited to use the time that he was out of town to focus on her own personal desires.

Only, 'a couple of days' was a bit of an understatement she argued with herself dangerously, and she felt her strong resolve begin to weaken into sadness. A couple of _weeks_ was more like it. Sixteen days to be exact (which she found herself being more often after prolonged exposure to her...endearingly...anal-retentive boyfriend). He was currently in Cozumel at a Pan-Atlantic Magical Trading Standards Conference, representing Britain as an expired treaty was being renegotiated. As head of the International Magical Trading Standards Body, Percy often had to travel for meetings and conferences. In the months since he had secured the post he had been to France twice, Portugal, India, Australia, America and now Mexico, staying in some of the world's most fascinating cities only to really ever see the inside of an inn and an office building. She was used to him leaving on these business trips and often encouraged him to try and enjoy more of his surroundings, instead of letting him see world-wide travel as the _downside _of his job.

But despite the frequency of his travels Percy had never been gone quite this long. Usually he was back within three days, the only exception being a six day conference in Lisbon. This treaty however was expected to take at least two and a half weeks to renegotiate, and that was the Ministry's _optimistic_ time frame. In his brief Floo calls he eluded that it might take even longer, as it seemed certain members of the conference were more interested in viewing their stay as a paid for vacation rather than a serious discussion over international legislation. Though Audrey could hardly fault Northern Europeans for wanting to enjoy a tropical paradise during the middle of a brutal winter, she couldn't help but begin to feel the toll of Percy's absence.

It was all mostly little things, really. She missed being able to talk to him. Sure he Flooed her every night and they were able to converse about the big things they did; progress on the conference, important new people they had met, how her newest painting was going. But between both of their busy schedules and a six hour time difference they only had about a fifteen minute window before he had to leave for dinner and she had to go to bed. She had grown used to being able to tell him anything and everything that went through her mind. Audrey was chatty by nature, but Percy always made her feel amusing and endearing, and he happily partook in her spontaneous conversations. But with such little time allotted to converse with him she found that her remarks on topics such as how even though she had been going to different bakeries she _still_ kept getting cranberries in her blueberry muffins didn't seem to be appropriate. (It was a silly topic for sure, but it had happened three times in the past week so surely it meant _something)_.

She was beginning to miss a lot of the everyday things. Food didn't taste as good when he wasn't there to help her cook it, red wine wasn't as enjoyed when he wasn't there to share, and getting something from the top shelf wasn't nearly as amusing when he wasn't there to simply reach up and grab it himself, smiling his 'you're short, but cute' smile as she begrudgingly thanked him. Countless inside jokes had gone wasted in his absence, making her feel slightly silly as she laughed at a seemingly usual occurrence on her own. It had felt like ages since she had had to fight for space on her coffee table, as usually her sketches merged with his sea of Ministry files. There had been no surprise lunch visits given by either party, no random notes throughout the day containing a short anecdote beginning with the phrase 'this made me think of you', and there had been no arguments over whether or not muggle technology sometimes bested magic (did the Magical Community have anything comparable to the internet? To which he would reply a simple Stunning Spell could surely out do any nets the Muggles could make).

Luckily Angelina and Fleur, being the wonderful best friends that they were, had compensated some of this loss by upping their dinners, calls and hangouts. Audrey was extremely grateful for this, but knew they each had their limits. Angelina had just started her work as a Healer, Fleur had both a young daughter and a part-time job, and though they were with the more laid-back of the Weasley brothers, Bill and George still tended to get fussy if their significant-others' attention strayed from them for too long.

The days were still manageable without feeling his absence too acutely. Work, family, friends and painting were all around and readily enjoyable, and she didn't feel lost or alone. Nights however were _their_ times, and she therefore could not be as easily satiated with a substitute or distraction. For the last six months they had spent nearly every night together. As much as she looked forward to their nightly Floo talks it seemed all the harder to go to sleep when he wasn't there next to her. She almost despised the delivery of the Daily Profit in the morning, frustrating herself as she made a mess of separating the sections. Percy always divided up the paper perfectly, handing her the crisp pages of the Arts and Leisure as he kept the News and Business for himself.

Still, she reminded herself as she went to measuring out and cutting her stretchers, he hadn't been gone all _that_ long and was due to come home soon. She was grateful that their separation was short, and she sent out a small blessing into the universe for all those who had to spend months or even years away from their loved ones. He would return soon and things would be back to the way she preferred it: chaotic, a little messy, but totally wonderful.

Her thought process did make her feel better, and she set off determinedly to saw her marked pieces of wood in order to set her next canvas. And all would have been well if she hadn't remembered the discovery she had come across last night, the one that had sparked her little descent into Melancholyville that afternoon at work. The night before, as she buried her head into her soft down pillow and struggled for sleep, she realized something. She could no longer smell the pine scented shampoo Percy always used on her sheets or pillowcases any longer.

That tiny revelation had made the chilling February night all the colder, and sleep became all the more impossible.

"Ouch!" Audrey proclaimed, wincing in both pain and surprise. Distracted by her solemn thoughts she hadn't been paying enough attention to where she was cutting and she had nicked her finger badly. Sighing as she tried to pinch the wound from bleeding too profusely, she went out in search of her wand. After a brief stint backtracking she remembered it was still in her purse, which she had stashed behind the front desk out on the main floor of the gallery.

The moment she opened the door that lead out to the floor she heard shouting. Nash stood in the middle of the gallery arguing with a heavily bejeweled older woman clutching an old painting of his. The overly rich and under-cultured woman had purchased one of his portraits after hearing one of her art patron friends rave about his work. She had picked the particular painting she had, not because of its particular meaning or reverence, but because the colors went with her Drawing Room. While Audrey understood the importance of art tying a room together she believed the woman's particular philosophy was better used when buying second hand pictures from an estate sale, and not when dropping the kind of galleons demanded of an original Jennings. And one certainly didn't express that kind of reasoning to the painter.

But she had. And, not only that, she had requested it be framed in a hideous and awkward gilded frame, as the varnish matched her mantle's candle sticks. Mortally offended, Nash refused to have his work displayed in such a way. But, as principled and self-righteous as he was, Nash had long passed his days as a starving artist and had grown accustomed to a comfortable lifestyle. So instead of refusing the sale he simply had Audrey place it in a much more dignified mahogany frame. She thought she had done a good job picking out the right hues of wood as it looked beautiful, easily went with any home, and even Nash was satisfied.

The woman however was not, and had come into the gallery foaming at the mouth over the change. For the last half-hour the two had been in a row. Nash stood firm on his decision, refusing to change out the frame _especially_ as all sales were final. Audrey had given up on trying to mediate and decided to let the two work it out amongst themselves. Grinning, she slipped past them over to the desk, ignoring the squabble as best she could so she could heal herself and return to work. It was due to this determination she didn't hear the door open behind her, and as she kneeled down to search for her bag she missed the entrance of the tall red-headed figure as he walked into the shop.

"You there, Suit!" Audrey heard Nash demand. "Is this not the most perfect and dignified frame for such a masterpiece? Far superior to a tactless, department store style _gilded_ frame?"

Audrey bashed her head clumsily against the bottom of the counter, hastily trying to rise to her feet in excitement.

"Erm, yeah. Yeah, it all looks really good..."

"See!" Nash interrupted swiftly. "Even slave-to-the-Ministry Suit can see that this frame is..."

"Percy!"

Nash stumbled in his stead as Audrey ran past him and the angered buyer, all but jumping into Percy's arms. Percy's face immediately morphed from confusion and slight indignity over to an elated smile as Audrey crashed into him. He let out a laugh as she hugged him tightly, quickly wrapping his own arms around her. Far too excited to think, Audrey popped her head up from his chest and expressed the one greeting that kept circling her head.

"You're back!"

Percy broke out into another happy grin, and answered her with a hungry kiss. Audrey's arms quickly threw themselves around his neck, and she strained to the height of her tiptoes to return the exchange as passionately as she could. His scent, his warmth, his touch all washed over her readily, and she ran her hands through his thick curls to her absolute delight.

"Well I never!" the old woman scoffed in loud offense, causing the break between her and Percy's kiss. "This is the most savage establishment I have ever stepped foot in! I'll never buy from you or suggest this place again!"

"Good riddance. You wouldn't know true art or expression if it bit you on the tit, you old bat!" Nash shouted as the woman retreated with her painting. Audrey had to stifle a giggle at the exclamation , though Percy seemed less than amused.

"Thanks for helping me get rid of the culture-less cunt, Suit," Nash greeted as his hazel eyes focused on Percy's displeasure. "Where the hell have you been?"

"Cozumel," Percy responded curtly, pulling Audrey back closer to him. "I was there for a treaty negotiation."

"Cozumel, eh?" Nash inquired with a grin. "I've been there a few times, great little island. Terrific brothels..."

Audrey felt Percy tense quickly at the implication, and his arms spasmed nervously.

"I can assure you I saw nothing of the sort!" he implored, lowering his gaze and talking more to Audrey than to Nash

"I can't really picture you in a place like that," Audrey responded in a laugh, dropping her arms to squeeze his waist affectionately.

"I should certainly think not," he replied, still indignantly ruffled though his displeasure had softened greatly.

"Huh, well, your call," Nash shrugged, flicking his long grey ponytail behind him. "I'll leave you to sucking the fun and creativity out of the room, Suit. Good luck, Aud."

Percy's olive green eyes flared slightly at the parting as Nash walked off to his side office. Nash had instantly disliked Percy, writing him off as a stuffy, bureaucratic Ministry stooge. On top of constantly referring to him as 'Suit', Nash never really had a problem voicing just what he thought of him. Percy in-turn wasn't really a big fan of Nash. Audrey knew he saw him as an ungrateful hypocrite, but he always held his tongue for her sake, knowing she loved her job and that she of all people knew how to handle picky bosses.

"Hi," Audrey called out softly and sweetly, cupping his face so she could return his gaze to her. His eyes instantly brightened and his warm smile returned to his face.

"Hi," he replied back just as quietly, before leaning down and kissing her madly once more.

"I missed you," he gasped through frenzied kisses. "I missed you so much I could hardly stand it."

"And I missed you," she replied seriously, though another giggle escaped as he picked her up, practically throwing her over his shoulder as he walked them to the back room.

"It's hard living our life here without you," she murmured into his ear as her arms wrapped against his neck. The moment the door to the back room was securely closed he placed her gently back on her feet. He stroked her face, staring at her intently, and his mouth opened as if to speak. Instead of words, however, he seemed to think himself best expressed with another hearty kiss.

"Well said!" she exclaimed with a smile, earning a laugh from him. Audrey then stared at the face she had been missing for weeks, suddenly realizing it was not how she left it.

"Oh my gosh! Percy, do you have a tan!" she gasped, stepping back a few steps to soak him in. Percy's teeth, always properly cleaned, seemed all the more white when he smiled, the contrast more defined against his new golden skin.

"I do now," he replied. "But for the first week or so of the trip the other delegates congratulated me on how I got my skin to match my hair."

"I've never seen you with so much color! It makes you look all the more handsome. We should really get you out into the sun more often," she suggested, her hands cupping his face again as she took a closer inspection. She did believe a few more freckles had sprouted on his face. She made a mental note to think up names for them and present her suggestions the next time he stayed up too late doing work. Such inane conversations were always a surefire way to get him to admit that he needed to go to bed, especially when he realized he was deeply engaged in an intentionally senseless discussion.

"And I thought you were busy _working_ the whole time, when you were really just laying out on the beach, probably over that brothel Nash was talking about..." she teased after completing her inspection.

"You know the only reason I ever even go near beaches is because I get to stare at you in a bikini all day," he bantered seriously. "We just had most of our meetings outside because...Audrey, you're bleeding!"

Percy grabbed the hand that cupped his face and stared at it intently. Though dried, her hand was still covered in blood from her forgotten accident.

"Oh, yeah," she replied sheepishly, biting her lip as she knew he wouldn't like what he was about to hear. "I was cutting stretchers and got a little...preoccupied. It was just a little nick."

"You know I hate it when you insist on using those Muggle tools," he scolded lightly, pressing his wand against her injured hand. "_Episkey_."

"Thanks. But it honestly was just a little accident, no harm really," she assured, smiling at the way he pressed his lips together to keep from lecturing her about the dangers of barbarous Muggle contraptions. "Besides, isn't my reckless impetuousness one of the things you love about me?"

"Yes,"he replied earnestly. "But it is also something that causes me no short amount of undue stress and worry."

Audrey laughed again, patting his cheek affectionately in expression of her gratitude.

"You worry too much, sometimes," she stated, kissing him reassuringly. Though she meant it to be a sweet and chaste moment of contact, Percy caught her lip, deepening the connection until she started panting slightly.

"And you, my love," he replied with a growl, picking her up and setting her on her large work table with a gasp, "don't worry nearly often enough."

Audrey grinned and greedily met his mouth with hers. Not only did it feel like ages since she had been kissed like this, but Percy had placed them in one of their favorite positions. Sitting up on a table like that removed the obstacle of their height differences. With her legs slightly parted he could stand right in front of her, their bodies pressed against each other's firmly as they continued their deep kiss. Audrey moaned as he ran his fingers through her hair, tugging slightly on her locks as he held her face pressed up against his. She grinned, knowing full well that _he_ knew exactly what that did to her. She let her hand fall slowly from his shoulders, cascading down his shirt until it finished its descent just above his belt. There she let it lay for a tantalizing moment before her fingers began to work their way to the taut skin of his stomach.

"I can't stay," he expressed in a forced gasp, breaking the contact hastily as if coming up for air.

"You mean you're leaving me again?" she inquired sadly as she nuzzled against his ear, fully intent on not letting him do anything of the sort.

"I have to go back to the Ministry," he groaned, breathing deeply as her hand continued to dance lightly across his stomach, flirting dangerously with his waistline. "I was supposed to go straight to the office when I got back."

"And yet," she countered in a sweetly dark voice as her fingers unlatched the first button of his trousers, "you're here with me."

"I had to see you," he replied in the throaty, raspy tone that always sent shivers down her spine. His hands softly fell to her knees, laying there before slowly sliding up her thighs.

"And I can tell you are just desperate to go back to work," she grinned, burying her face against his flushed neck as his hands disappeared under her skirt. She then proceeded to nip lightly at the lobe of his ear, trying not to smile to broadly as she heard his rapid intakes of breath.

"I _have_ come back earlier than any one anticipated," Percy stated matter-of-factly, as though he were talking to a co-worker about the weather and not slyly rubbing his hands over the tops and sides her thighs.

"A wonderful surprise to all,"she agreed calmly, suppressing her delighted victory.

"And even if the office has heard about the wrap up of the treaty...well, you know how unreliable cross-ocean port keys can be."

"They do have a dastardly reputation," she replied, gasping as his fingers flickered across her knickers. Reeling in her expression, Percy withdrew one of his hands and grasped her face, rekindling the steamy kiss as his work obligations were temporarily forgotten. Despite having engaged in some pretty steamy intimate affairs throughout her life, Audrey never felt more special or desired than when Percy ignored the callings of his job because he couldn't keep his hands off her. Though some might laugh at the act she knew the extent of how much the Ministry meant to him, and for him to set aside what he felt were stringent responsibilities because he would rather be with her was the most romantic notion she could think of.

She broke the kiss for a moment, simply wanting to look at him as she reveled in her happiness at his return. He smiled softly, stroking her hair lightly in shared sentiment.

"I love you, Percy," she proclaimed, leaning back into him to hug him tight. "Promise me you won't develop a nasty habit of being gone so long very often."

"I promise," he responded with a laugh, kissing her hair reassuringly. "I love you, Audrey, and hate having so much distance between us."

Audrey smiled sublimely, ecstatic to feel his warmth and arms embracing her again.

"In fact," Percy continued suddenly, scooping her up so she laid back further on the table. Audrey inhaled sharply at the swift movement, but soon laughed as she found Percy had quickly joined her, laying next to her as he grinned wickedly.

"In fact, it is my complete intention to eradicate any distance between us at all at the moment."

Audrey had just enough time to beam up in response before their lips found each other's, and their bodies reunited after far too long an absence.

_**(**_**A/N: So after three months of absence, certain that I was done with this pair and eager to write other stories, I realized that I just wasn't finished. I couldn't be! I had planned so much for them and couldn't not keep it going. I'm still writing in My Dirty Little Secret fic and school is about to start, but dammit all, I want more Percy and Audrey. I do very much hope you feel the same. As a further note I'd like to thank the wonderful and talented Julu for agreeing to be my beta. If you like Percy fics you should really check her out. Amazing. ) **


	2. All The Small Things

All The Small Things

**(A/N: Happy belated 34th birthday Percy! I just now realized this story takes place about ten years ago. My how time flies!)**

"Oh, Percy! You look wonderful!" his mother exclaimed after giving him her signature warm embrace. "It's so nice to that you got some sun!"

Audrey laughed as she watched her boyfriend smile sheepishly at his mother's praise, followed by his struggle as George pinched his cheek and Bill ruffled his hair playfully as soon as Molly's back was turned. In celebration of his successful return, Molly had thrown Percy a lunch at the Burrow complete with all his favorite foods. Though a sunny and clear day, it was still February, so most of the activities took place inside. Audrey found herself happily crammed into the Weasley's living room with Percy, Molly, Arthur, Bill, Fleur, Victoire, George, Angelina, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Harry.

"Thanks for everything, Mum. The food was great especially after the trip. If I ever see another glass of horchata again it will be too soon," he expressed, taking a long sip of his tea.

"Leave it to you to complain about the food at an island resort," Bill teased good-naturedly.

"I'm not _complaining_, the food was wonderful there too, it's just..."

"He's happy to be home," his mother finished for him, beaming brightly. Audrey grinned as she took a bite of her strawberry tart. She loved watching Molly interact with her children. The mother hated when they strayed too far away and always made a doting fuss on them when they returned. Of course she had very harrowing reasons to want her children close.

"Who would like more tea?" Molly inquired brightly as she watched her sons banter playfully.

"Let me help," Audrey insisted, hopping quickly off the couch to follow. Molly smiled graciously and lead the way into the kitchen.

"Those strawberry tarts were amazing," Audrey expressed as she placed some of the dirty dishes into the sink. "You'll have to show me how to make them some day."

"Of course, dear," Molly exclaimed, happy to share. Fleur insisted on her own family recipes and as much as Molly loved Hermione the girl didn't really have a knack for cooking. Audrey on the other hand had the perfect makings of a good cook, even surpassing Molly in some areas due to her artistic abilities. For Christmas Audrey had brought over a cake shaped in an exact replica of the Burrow, complete with generic redheaded figures running past the windows. It was so beautiful Molly hardly wanted to touch it. Luckily Ron had no such qualms and quickly went to work to cutting out the layer of his room, insinuating an odd squabble as the family rushed to eat their favorite part of the house.

"How are David and Ama?" Molly inquired fondly.

"Great! David is already reeking havoc on the library in preparation for his OWLs, and Ama just wrote me that Gryffindor beat Ravenclaw in their last match so she'll be happy for about a month," Audrey informed. She had brought her siblings to the Burrow for the holidays and Molly had taken them in in her usual style, ecstatic to once again have school-aged children to fuss upon. It had been a wonderful break, especially considering Christmas would forever be a dark time for her and her family. But the cheer was high, the food insatiable, and between all the Weasleys and friends to joke and play with there was hardly time for one to think.

Audrey smiled warmly as she watched Molly pour out multiple cups of tea with a flick of her wand. The house, the smells, the people in the living room were all quickly becoming an integral part of her life. No one family had ever done as much for her and her siblings as the Weasleys had. Ama had her pick of Quidditch buddies to play with and David was readily accepted as an adult, especially as most who were present had reached maturity by sixteen and saw him as a kindred spirit. She felt she couldn't even begin to express her gratitude, and despite all her tragedies and regrets, there was no better family to be adopted into than the Weasleys.

"You must be very happy that Percy's back," Molly gathered as she set the trays. "You two are quite the pair."

"I am," Audrey replied ardently. "I almost feel silly for how much I missed him. He was hardly gone longer than two weeks and we're not _that_ new of a couple. It's been almost six months and heaven knows we spent nearly every day together the three months before that."

"Arthur and I have been married for nearly 35 years and I still hate it when he has to leave for longer than a night for business," Molly told.

"That's how my parents were too," Audrey reminisced fondly. "As a little girl I had always hoped that I would get to feel the same way when I was married."

A sly beam slowly crossed Molly's face after the comment. Audrey began to blush, clearly reading a "just wait and you will" look from the matron before she turned off to deliver her teas. The notion took Audrey's breath away. Though some part of her still felt unprepared for such a tremendous step she couldn't help her gigantic grin as she pictured a nervous, struggling-for-dignified Percy dressed in crisp dress robes as she approached him from the aisle.

Her smile did not diminish as she reentered the living room and she happily squeezed next to Percy on the over-sat couch, grateful for an excuse to sit so close to him.

"You and Mum have a nice talk?" Percy asked, placing his hand on her knee.

"Very nice," she replied, knowing how much it meant to him that she and his mother bonded.

"Hey everyone, the snow let off," Ginny announced as she approached the group. "Harry, Ron and I are thinking about playing some Quidditch. Any takers?"

"I better sit out today," Angelina expressed solemnly. "This week's residency shifts at St. Mungos were ghastly and I am completely wiped."

"Better count me out too then," George said, smiling as he placed an arm around her shoulders. "She's been so busy we haven't really had any time together lately."

"Well you can count me in," Bill replied, picking up his daughter and passing her off to Fleur. "It's been ages since I've played."

"Wow, you can really see ze difference between dating and married life," Fleur teased sternly, cocking an eyebrow at her husband.

"George hardly ever sees Angelina. I, on the other hand, get to spend every glorious day with you, my love," Bill countered, kissing her porcelain cheek before springing off the couch.

"Nice save!" George laughed as Fleur rolled her eyes good-naturedly.

"Watch and learn, boys," Bill stated with a grin. "Percy, Audrey, you in?"

"I like my neck right where it is, thanks," Percy said in response to the polite but half-empty gesture.

"You guys have fun, I think we'll stay inside where it's warm," Audrey said with a wave. Bill nodded and quickly followed his youngest siblings and Harry out to the apple orchard.

"It's so nice to sit down and take a break," Angelina breathed, stretching out across Bill's empty seat. "These twelve hour days, four days a week are killing me. I think my feet are about to give out."

"Lucky for you I have a foot fetish and have every intention on keeping yours in top shape," George joked, grabbing one of her feet and sliding off her shoe before he began massaging it gently. "It's been horribly off putting to all the other girls I've dated but I'm glad it now has some practical use."

"Is that how he scared you off, Aud?" Angelina inquired offhandedly, closing her eyes in enjoyment as she let herself relax.

"Ze two of you used to date?" Fleur inquired in intrigued shock.

"Oh yeah! I totally forgot about that!" George replied with a laugh. "We did go on a date Fourth Year didn't we? I think I took her to Zonko's for about three hours and then off to the Shrieking Shack, you know, because I'm a romantic like..."

"You never told me about that," Percy interrupted stoically, staring hard in Audrey's direction. Ever since Angelina's extemporaneous comment Audrey had sat in a ridged grimace with her hand clasped over her mouth. The light-hearted atmosphere was quickly replaced with an awkward silence. Audrey knew everyone was staring at her expectantly but she couldn't open her eyes, unable to look at the expression on Percy's face.

"Uh, on second thought, maybe I will go play Quidditch," George replied quickly, bouncing off his chair and escaping towards the back.

Reading the tension Victoire immediately started to fuss, her wail slicing through the icy quiet.

"It looks like someone needs a change," Fleur announced loudly, gathering her daughter in her arms.

"Don't bother, I've got it," Percy stated, standing up without looking over at Audrey. Unable to refuse Fleur passed Victoire off to her uncle and sat down as he swiftly disappeared.

"Oh Audrey, I am so sorry!" Angelina lamented expressively. "I'm just so tired and I wasn't thinking! I never stopped to think that he didn't know..."

"And why _didn't_ he know?" Fleur inquired in a slightly demanding tone.

"Because I had forgotten all about it!"Audrey expressed truthfully, finally putting down her hand. "Like George said it was one date that happened _seven _years ago, and it was hardly a date! Fred and Lee were with us practically the whole time, and we never went out like that again."

"Well zat's not zat bad!" Fleur reassured with a brightening smile. "Sounds innocent enough and it's not like you kissed him or anything..."

Fleur trailed off as she watched Audrey bite her lip guiltily.

"There may have been one _little_ kiss..."

"Audrey!" Fleur exclaimed in shock.

"I know! But it really was nothing! The date was perfectly nice but the chemistry wasn't there for anything past friendship. George and I have never brought it up again and nothing was ever weird after. I honestly never even think about it. Did George tell you about it?" she asked Angelina miserably.

"Well, yeah," Angelina admitted, "but that was _years _ago back in school. I didn't even remember until he told me that you were dating Percy, and even then I didn't really think anything of it."

"What am I going to do?" Audrey ask miserably, hiding her face in her hands. "He's going to think I intentionally hid this from him."

"You go up there and talk to him," Fleur ordered in blunt encouragement. "You tell him zat you meant nothing by it, zat you love _him_, and zat he needs to just get over it."

"You may want to add an "I'm sorry" in there too," Angelina added helpfully.

"Well zat goes without saying," Fleur expressed with a wave of her hand. Audrey felt a weight plummet to the pit of her stomach as she pried herself off the couch and marched cautiously towards the stairs. She hated herself for this. She never wanted to hurt Percy, especially since she had been so enthralled with him just minutes ago. How had she neglected to tell him? She, Percy and George hung out constantly and never once did the memory of their date or kiss ever flash through her mind.

Her hand shook as she gently pushed on the door of Ginny's old room. The small yellow space had been converted since she had moved out, the furniture pushed aside to make way for a changing table and crib. It was a charming little nursery, yet the cheery décor did nothing to soothe the thick tension..

"Hey," Audrey greeted softly, hanging back by the door.

"What do you want?" he asked flatly, pacing the room unceasingly as he bottle fed his niece.

"Percy, I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed, quickly dashing into the room. "I wasn't trying to hide anything from you, honest! I just forgot..."

"You forgot?" he all but yelled, clenching his jaw as he rocked Victoire securely. "You dated my brother, the one who we see almost every day, the one who works right across from you, who you constantly hang out with _alone_, and you forgot to tell me that you dated him?"

"It was just one small date and it was hardly that!" she explained quickly. "George and I...well, in school we always got along really well and seeing as he was a boy and I was a girl we decided to give it a shot. We had a perfectly nice time but neither of us felt like that for the other and we agreed that everything we wanted from the other was best expressed as _friends_..."

"Did you kiss him?" he asked, putting the satiated infant in her crib. A few seconds passed in affirming silence, and the room filled with a creak as Percy gripped the wooden frame in anger.

"It was just one small kiss, just to test it out, and neither of us..."

"One _small_ kiss? One _small_ date? Those are some pretty big deals to be using such an insignificant adjective." Percy spat. "I mean dammit Audrey, do you have any idea how big of an idiot I feel right now? To have had to hear from George's girlfriend that you...that you..."

"I know," Audrey replied softly. "And I am so so sorry. I know I messed up and you have every right to be mad at me, but please just know that it wasn't because I had anything to hide from you. It was because the whole experience meant nothing to me since I've only ever seen George as a friend. I love you so much Percy, you're _my_ Weasley, and I've never cared for anyone more than I care for you. No one has even ever come close. You have to believe me."

"I don't really know what to believe," he replied after a few moments of silence. "I can't talk to you right now."

Audrey swore she could hear her heart spill across the floor like a bag of dropped Gobbstones as Percy pushed past her, leaving her alone with a dozing Victoire.

* * *

Percy shook the soot out of his hair violently as he stepped out of Audrey's Muggle fireplace and grimly looked around her flat. Normally he felt an instant sense of easement and relaxation when he entered her living room. The longer he and Audrey dated the more nights he stayed over. In past weeks his own flat was used more as a second office than a living space, and he only ever slept there if he had to get up particularly early. She had cleared out a few drawers and a storage closet for him, and a good portion of his clothes had found their way over. Other than the Burrow it was here that he felt the most at home, the place above all others that he wanted to go to after a bad day. But the familiar scents and cozy atmosphere did nothing to placate him, and the change of scenery did not urge him to want to speak to her.

They had left quickly after their argument in the nursery. They said a quick good-bye to his parents and left before any of his siblings returned from outside. He sat quietly on the couch as Audrey put his mother's leftovers in her Muggle refrigerator and quietly went about cleaning her kitchen.

Audrey had made another brief attempt at an explanation before they left but Percy's only polite response was to usher her to the fireplace. He needed to get away and almost Flooed to his own flat without saying anything, figuring distance from her was what he really wanted. But he followed her diligently, intending on keeping his promise from earlier that he would accompany her on her afternoon task.

He mulled through their conversation thoroughly, picking apart and analyzing everything that had been said. His Audrey, the love of his life, had gone out and kissed his brother, his _closest _brother, and had never told him. Neither of them had. Yet for some reason he hadn't the energy to be mad at George and all his affront spurned from Audrey.

He knew the two of them were close. The first time he had taken her to the Burrow he had even felt momentarily jealous of their old bond. But the feelings of envy quickly faded into delight. What could be better than the girl of your dreams already loving your family? George had been in a tough state since Fred had died and Percy was ecstatic that he had brought about further comfort. George's store and Nash's gallery were both in Diagon Ally so he and Audrey saw each other frequently, even occasionally grabbing lunch together. Her friendship with George was one of the many reasons he loved her so, and he had always respected their relationship.

But now? How could he trust it? How could he sit by and watch his brother take his girlfriend out to eat, play and tease around with her? Touch her, friendly or not? The idea turned his blood to ice.

Percy diligently worked to pull himself away from those primal feelings and tried to focus on what she had said. She implored that she had forgotten the date and kiss entirely because it meant nothing to her, that she and George had always and would forever just be friends. She said that so many other good times and jokes came to her mind when she thought of his younger brother that that particular interaction was never thought of. He thought about her absurd sounding excuse and found that he...believed her.

Percy would be the first to admit that he could be insecure about his relationship with Audrey. He often thought it too good to be true and had to fight against his insecurities to accept that she felt the same way about him. But even at his most paranoid he had never suspected anything between the pair. George was obviously mad about Angelina (he choose massaging her feet over _Quidditch_, for Merlin's sake), and Audrey never left Percy in any doubt that he was one of the most important people in her life.

So why did he feel so coldly towards her when he believed her? Sure he had every right to be upset but he didn't feel like he should be as angry as he was towards her. It felt like the situation deserved the usual format of their arguments: a spat, a genuine exclamation of apology and affection from the offender, a gradual acceptance from the offended, an enthralling moment of forgiveness, and, if the situation allowed, some pretty terrific make-up sex. Why then could he hardly bring himself to look at her?

_Because she hasn't made up for the most __offensive__ part of her mistake_, he found himself thinking. She hadn't found a way to apologize for the biggest way she had hurt him, hadn't even touched on it. So what if she had no way of knowing what it was, that he had been _intentionally_ hiding this particular aspect of their relationship? It was a very serious and sensitive topic, and her withholding her past relations with his brother spat in the face of what it stood for.

"We better get going if we're gonna make visiting hours," Audrey said quietly as she stepped helplessly into the living room. "That is...if you're still coming."

"I told you before that I would go," he stated firmly, his resolve intensifying as he discovered the root to his anger. "Unlike some people I know how to communicate efficiently."

For the first time in their argument he saw anger flash across her brown eyes, and her stance tensed up defensively.

"I don't need you to come if you're going to be like this," she set down sternly.

"Let's just go already," Percy exhaled, pulling himself off the couch and walking towards her. He grabbed her arm professionally, pulled out his wand, and sent them to downtown London.

* * *

The two walked into the large hidden building in silence. St. Mungo's was steadily busy and as the couple had no obvious afflictions they were mostly ignored by the healers. Without a word they traveled to the lift and Percy automatically set it to rise to the fourth floor.

Audrey visited her father a couple times a week and always made it out on Sundays, Percy normally coming with her. Christopher's healer stated that it was best that he be exposed to as many people as possible and Percy was happy to help. But mostly he went for Audrey's sake. Though she had been dealing with the situation for years, the visits still took an emotional toll on her. He too found himself affected by them and they were far from his favorite thing to do on his day off. But it was important to Audrey and he would do anything to support her and ease her pain. Even now.

"Ms. Larrabee?" a voice called out from the hallway right before they entered the Janus Thickey Ward.

"Healer Pullman," Audrey replied with a forced smile. "How are you?"

"Good," the collected middle-aged witch assured. "My son and husband just got back from their trip to India so home-life is pretty much back to normal. I do however have a few _small _concerns about your father, and wanted to talk to you about his medication."

_Small concerns?_ There was that horrible adjective again. Percy turned his attention to Audrey who stood slightly stunned at the comment.

"Of course," Audrey replied hesitantly. She then turned to Percy with a pleading look in her eye. "Do you mind..."

"Go. I'll talk to your Dad," he assured, forcing a smile he didn't feel upon her. He cursed himself as he watched her walk away, lamenting the fact that he hadn't been more affectionate or reassuring. He almost acted upon an impulse to chase after her just to squeeze her hand lovingly like he normally would have. Instead he turned back around and entered the Ward.

Audrey's father had his own private section in the back. The walls were covered with music posters of his favorite artists, some of Audrey's artwork, and dozens of family pictures. It was much more personal than some of the other patients who, sadly, looked like they had been forgotten.

"Hey, Mr. Larrabee! How are you?" Percy asked brightly. Audrey's father looked up at him with a leathered face, and his clear blue eyes lit up in recognition. A good sign signifying he was having one of his better days, even if the recognition wasn't entirely accurate.

"Arthur! You're looking well!" Mr. Larrabee exclaimed. He often referred to Percy by his father's name. He had even welcomed him as such on Percy's first visit before Audrey even had time to introduce him. It turns out that Percy's father had once inspected Larrabee Vinyl, her parents' old record store. It was in a Muggle neighborhood and sold predominately Muggle music, though there was a section in the back that sold Wizard records. Arthur had been sent there to make sure that the blend of customers didn't jeopardize the existence of the magical world. When asked about this meeting Arthur proclaimed that he did remember such a store, and that all one had to do was ask a staff member where they kept _Lost in Love: The Best of Air Supply_ to be shown how to get to the Wizarding section.

"Close, Mr. Larrabee," Percy replied with a sad smile. "It's _Percy _Weasley."

"Oh yes, yes of course," Mr. Larrabee responded, though his smile flickered and his eyes narrowed in worry.

"Audrey and I came to visit you," Percy continued reassuringly, taking a seat next to him.

"Ah, Audrey!" Christopher responded, his eyes flashing in delight. "She's a wonderful girl. So sweet and so talented! Have you seen her artwork?" He pointed to the wall next to him, showcasing one of her paintings.

"She painted that for me when she was sixteen. Sixteen!"

"It's beautiful," Percy responded, having been shown the piece of work every time he had come to visit.

"I brought us some cards to play with," Percy said, pulling out a pack of Muggle playing cards from his back pocket. He shuffled them proficiently before he began to deal them out.

"A card shark! A man after my own heart!" Christopher expressed in excitement. "You know my wife _hates_ it when I gamble or play. But you don't mind keeping this between us, do you?"

Percy exhaled sadly. The healer said that the best way to help him along was to kindly point his mind back to reality and the present. Christopher often thought that it was years earlier and almost never remembered anything past the beginnings of the War. Percy understood that honesty was the best policy, but it was difficult to have to constantly remind the smiling, charming man of the awful truth.

"I think I can do that," Percy responded, figuring it to be both a safe and real answer. The two of them sat there for awhile, chatting sparingly. Percy worked to keep up with their game that seemed to change with each hand. Today was definitely one of Chris' good days. There had been times when Percy had seen him totally out of it, unable to respond to the most basic of stimuli. Once he and Audrey had come to see him crying out in broken Italian. Audrey was nearly decimated with tears as she worked to translate. He was calling out to his wife who he thought had left him and he was trying to win her back in her first language, proclaiming he would become fluent and even move to Italy if that's what it took to get her back.

But today Christopher almost seemed normal, if not just a little spacey and forgetful. He could hold short conversations and give concurrent answers. He seemed basically aware and alert, and was always eager to talk about his family. Percy's head was suddenly filled with that particularly secretive and sensitive topic that had been on his mind for months, the one that made Audrey's withholding so unbearable. But as he sat there with her father he couldn't help but soften and remember how much he wanted his desire to come to fruition. And not only did he want it, he wanted it done _right_, and saw Christopher's good health and their seclusion a rare and golden opportunity to do just that.

"You got any threes?" Christopher inquired. Percy searched his hand and relinquished two cards on the table, having spent the last couple of rounds playing a game called "Go Fish".

"Ah ha!" Mr. Larrabee proclaimed in excitement. "Full House!"

Percy grinned as he looked down on the two fives and three threes Mr. Larrabee had produced.

"You win," Percy conceded with a smile. "You're too good for me."

"Don't beat yourself up kid, I'm a pro," Chris comforted with a sly grin, taking the cards and shuffling them with great skill.

"Hey, Mr. Larrabee?" Percy inquired after a few seconds of building himself up.

"Call me Chris," he insisted. "_Mr. _Larrabee is my father. Or is he? For some reason I feel like there is some confusion on that matter..."

Percy held his breath for a moment, as that was another long story entirely, one which he felt he didn't have the time to get in to.

"Chris, I have something I want to ask you. It's about Audrey."

"Ah, Audrey! She's a wonderful girl, so sweet and talented!" Chris exclaimed again.

"I completely agree," Percy concurred with a smile. "I am absolutely in love with her and I was hoping...I was hoping that you would give me permission to marry her."

"Marry her?" Chris responded in a laugh. "Audrey's not old enough to get married! She's only...only..."

"Twenty-one. And I'm twenty-three. I know we've only been dating for six months but I already know that I can't live without her. I love her so much, no matter what she has done, and I want to spend the rest of my life trying to show her how much I care for her," Percy expressed ardently, holding his breath as Chris stared straight into his eyes.

"Bumper cars," Chris responded nervously.

"Bumper cars?" Percy repeated, his brow contorting into worry.

"Yes. My father, he used to take me to the bumper cars when I was little. He hated it, his back had gone out from a rugby injury, but he still always took me because I enjoyed it so much," he explained.

"Daniel sounds like he was a good man," Percy expressed, sitting back in slight defeat.

"Hey Dad! You and Percy playing cards?" Audrey inquired, walking in with a smile. Percy sat back up quickly, grateful that his failed attempt at asking for her hand had at least been foiled before she returned.

"Lucy, darling! Come meet this wonderful young man I've just befriended!" Chris exclaimed, waving her over happily. Audrey's smile cracked a bit as she walked over, and Percy's heart ached for her. It was comical that Chris often mistook Percy for his father. They were both tall, skinny, bespeckled red-heads and he did take after Arthur in looks. That Chris often mistook Audrey for her mother was quite another thing all together. It was true that Audrey was almost an exact replica of her beautiful mother, but the constant mistake was one of the hardest corrections Audrey had to make.

"No, Dad. It's Audrey," she said sadly.

"Yes, yes, of course, but come meet _him_!" Chris urged, waving his hand towards her. Audrey took her place next to him on the bed, smiling brightly as he wrapped his arm around her in a hug.

"This man is absolute rubbish at card games," he announced, looking at her fondly. "But asides from that he seems to be a very intelligent and capable bloke. Don't you think he would be just right for our Audrey? I think he would be a good balance for her, stable her out a bit. He's a right sight better than that Davis boy. No, I have a good feeling about this one."

He sent Percy a wink, and Percy felt like he had received the best blessing in the history of marriage.

"I have a good feeling about him too," Audrey replied, smiling vulnerably yet brightly as she kissed her father's head. Percy returned the smile, grabbing her hand from across the bed and squeezing it lovingly.

"So are these our hands?" Audrey asked as she picked up one of the piles of cards. Chris nodded in affirmation as he and Percy grabbed their own. He looked at the two seriously before he threw down his pile dramatically.

"Twenty-one!" he pronounced, pointing to his Ace and King.

"Straight flush," Percy countered, showcasing his own hand.

"Rummy!" Audrey announced with a besting laugh.

"Dammit!" Chris relented, looking at her cards with a grin. "You are good, my love. You are good!"

* * *

The moment Percy and Audrey left the Ward and found themselves alone in the corridor by the lifts he quickly rounded on her, sweeping her up into his arms and kissing her madly. Audrey reciprocated vehemently, standing on the tips of her toes in excitement. When they broke apart she immediately set in to another round of apology, urgently lamenting her mistake and expressing that she didn't mean to hide anything from him. Percy cut in to her nervous ramble before she worked herself into a state, assuring her that he believed her and was no longer upset. Visiting her father always put the delicacy and briefness of life into perspective. He didn't want to waste a moment of their precious time together fighting with her over something like that, though he could not help but express that she still should have told him.

"I know!" she exclaimed, biting her lip in sorrow. "And I am so sorry. I promise I'll make it up to you. Name anything and I'll do it."

"Okay," Percy responded coyly, crossing his arms across his chest with a grin. "Let me take you out to that new restaurant that just opened up, the one that we read about in the paper the other day."

"Percy, that place is so expensive!" she gasped. "I don't deserve something like that! I mean at least let me pay if..."

"You just said that I could name anything and you'd do it. Well this is what I choose," he stated firmly, stroking her cheek. "Besides, it's our anniversary. I want it to be special...memorable."

Percy laughed as she slowly relented, launching herself back into his arms as she expressed how wonderful he was. Percy internally hoped that her excited and agreeing nature would continue as he pictured the amethyst and diamond ring he kept secretly stored in his desk at the Ministry. Between how much he missed her on his trip and his take-nothing-for-granted life perspective he felt more certain than ever that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. He wanted Audrey as his wife and was ready to take the steps to make her such.

Until then Percy was more than happy to play out the final format of their argument cycle. With the rest of the evening in front of them there was nothing but allowing situations. After all, what was life with out being able to enjoy all the small things?


	3. UnJust

(_**A/N: **_So sorry it's been so long since I've updated. A lot of you have asked if I had given up on this story since I've been writing so much in my other fics. The answer is no. In fact I've been giving this one a lot of thought. The problem was this was just a hard chapter for me to write. I finally decided to publish it much shorter in hopes that an update will help me continue, which it will. You'll understand more when you finish.)

UnJust

"Percy, sweetie, are you okay?" Audrey asked him from across the table, shaking him out of his thoughts.

"Yes, of course I am," he responded swiftly, cursing himself silently for showing signs of distraction.

"It's just that you're looking a little flushed, and your eyebrows are knitted together in that way they get when you're nervous," she observed, cocking her head in a slight worry.

"I'm just a little warm, and that got me thinking that I probably should have ordered the salad instead of the soup," he replied in lame avail, kicking himself into being more present in the conversation. Audrey cocked one of her eyebrows and smiled knowingly. That was one of the downsides of someone knowing you better than you knew yourself: it was nearly impossible for him to keep anything from her.

"I'm sure," she laughed. "Well, you better be thinking about dinner and not of work. I know you're about to start up that whole Broomstick Regulation thing…"

"I can assure you that work and broomsticks are the furthest thing from my mind," he answered truthfully, reaching out across the table to grab her hand. Audrey's coy countenance morphed into a look of charming affection, and she squeezed his hand in response.

"Have I told you how radiantly beautiful you look tonight?" he asked, his eyes flittering from the way her long dark hair framed her sweet face, down to the way her plum colored gown complimented her olive skin tone and curved body perfectly.

"You have," she bantered with a grin, "though I never tire of hearing it."

They both laughed as the waiter arrived with their soups and refilled their wine. Their conversation was then steered to once again exclaiming about how nice the restaurant was over to chatting about Nash's latest exploits. It seemed like his years of tax evasion was catching up to him and he was currently being audited by the Ministry. In retaliation Nash had been inspired to create a line of controversial paintings showcasing the capitalist greed of the government. Audrey admitted that it was all a little funny, especially because he really didn't owe that much and even still the Ministry was only asking for a fraction. She did however seem slightly worried about how her association with him would affect Percy. He chuckled, assuring her that her boss drawing a few pictures in a state of conniption would neither tear down the Ministry nor affect his career.

"Good," she replied, noticeably relieved. "You and I both know he's harmless, in all honesty he'll probably use the proceeds of his "protest project" to pay off his bill. I was still a little worried. I know I'm just your girlfriend but I didn't want you to get in trouble by association."

Percy found himself fighting a frown against her chosen phrase of "just your girlfriend". Audrey had never really been a "just" anything in his life. Days into their work relationship she had become more than just an assistant, weeks into knowing one another she had become more than just a friend, and months in to dating her he was ready to make her more than "just his girlfriend".

His hand immediately slipped into his jacket pocket to check on the square velvet case holding the diamond engagement ring. The box had been burning a hole in his desk at work for the last three months. There had been multiple times he had caught himself staring at it endlessly, devising the perfect way to ask her, thinking how beautiful she would be in a wedding gown, what their kids would look like, until he finally had to pull himself out of it. Although he could scarcely imagine a life before her he had to remind himself they hadn't been together an appropriate amount of time to propose to her. He knew that choosing a spouse was one of the biggest decisions of his life and not something to rush into.

However, as he looked across the table at her smiling happily he felt like a fool for not having fallen to his knee on day one. It was simply impossible for him to love anyone more than he did her, and true reason should dictate that he make her his forever.

Their meal was soon delivered and they were both floored with the tastes. A few more glasses of wine garnished their whispered conversation. As dessert was ordered the orchestra struck up a heavenly tune. Audrey's head immediately perked up and her warm brown eyes sought out the dance floor. Percy grinned as he stood up and offered his hand, knowing full well how much she loved to dance.

The tune was slow and intimate, causing Percy to happily lead them in a dance that fit. Audrey leaned close into his chest as her arms draped around his neck delicately. With her head resting against his shoulder he could easily smell her shampoo, which despite months of close contact still caused him to grow enamored.

_This is what right feels like_, he said to himself, pulling her in a bit closer. Now was the time, the perfect moment to pose the most tremendous of inquiries.

"Audrey," he called softly, his fingers running up her bare arms.

"Hmmm?" she responded pleasantly, obviously as caught up in the moment as he.

"There is something that I've been meaning to talk to you about," he said seriously. She stared up to look at him, a playful grin crossing her face.

"Why Mr. Weasley, you sound so serious. It's nothing bad I hope," she replied.

"Of course not," he assured with a nervous smile. He gave himself a mental shake and urged himself to sound more upbeat. He had been forming the perfect words to say to her for months. An eloquent speech, it would summarize the immense depths of his affection, of how he never dreamed he could get a woman like her, and how he would do anything for her to be his wife. He had perfected the monologue, ensuring he enumerated every point without getting winded. It was, in a phrase, the most perfect engagement request he felt he could create, and he felt confident about executing it to great success.

"Audrey," he repeated, clearing his throat and trying to keep his palms from sweating so hard he lost his grip on her. "We've known each other for nearly a year now…"

"Excuse me, Mr. Weasley?"

The couple both turned to face a strict faced looking server standing stoically on the dance floor as other couples whirled around them.

"Yes," Percy replied shortly, jaw clenching angrily at the interference.

"This letter just arrived by owl, addressed to your table," the man responded, handing the large envelope to him before turning away.

"The Ministry must be jumping to work on those regulations if they're bothering you on a Friday night," Audrey joked, stepping back in good nature to allow Percy to read his letter.

"This is not from the Ministry," Percy informed, all lightness disappearing from his voice as his face went deathly hollow. "It's from St. Mungos."

Audrey's brow furrowed for a moment as she absorbed the comment, unsure of the implication. Then in a terrifying instant she knew, and her heart cracked to a million pieces before Percy could even hand her the letter.

"Dad!"

* * *

Despite the pleasant temperature of the Janus Thickly Ward, Audrey's bones felt frozen and brittle like the thin icicles that clung to the leaves of grass after a winter frost. The room was not particularly bright, but her eyes could not focus on the figure in front of her. It was night time, quiet, and yet only two words were discernable out of the woman's mouth as she stood in front of her in a remorseful stance.

"I'm sorry."

Audrey knew that tears were falling, sensed her mind collapsing, and recognized the familiar arms that pulled her into a comforting embrace. Audrey knew all these things were happening but she could feel none of it.

Her father was dead. It was an unjust occurrence. And it was all her fault.

(_**A/N: **_The next couple of chapters are going to make me so depressed…)


	4. Ghosts

Ghosts

"Ama…Amaline? Could you help me?" Percy called nervously as he stood in the Larrabee's tiny kitchen. Audrey's younger sister soon came in from the living room, walking awkwardly in her black flats as she tugged on her dark dress.

"Am I doing this right?" he asked desperately, holding the box of detergent in his hand as he stared at the dishwasher determinedly. Despite the sad occasion Ama couldn't help but laugh.

"There's a latch in the door you pour it in to," she offered with a smile, taking the box and showing him how to use the Muggle contraption. A wave of relief crossed his face at her help, allowing his attention to scan over the small kitchen he had been cleaning by hand to ensure he hadn't missed anything. Ama watched him as he took in the kitchen, and she could literally see him crossing off what he had done and planning his next steps to conquer the mess that had been made.

Ama liked Percy. He was by no means her sister's coolest or most attractive boyfriend, and he didn't seem to know more than a damn thing about Qudditch. But he was always there for Audrey and their family. He tried hard and genuinely seemed to like them, instead of pretending to just to stay in Audrey's good graces. He was wicked smart, had a fantastic memory, and was funny. Not classically or intentionally funny, it was really in his own way, but to Ama a laugh was a laugh.

"_Of course I don't anticipate much laughter today,"_ she thought as she looked down at her black dress. Ama hated dresses. They were too girly and too impractical to wear on a broomstick. But when Audrey came over that morning and laid the garment on the bed, Ama knew better than to protest. There didn't seem like much of a point arguing over what to wear to their father's funeral. She doubted she would ever be expected to wear the thing again.

Ama cast her gaze to the side as she helped put up the spices Audrey had used to make the breakfast no one had eaten. It had already been a long trying day and it only promised to get worse. Their grandmother had hardly said a word in the past week and half way through their meal she had stood up and marched to her room. Audrey, hardly in a better state, followed her with the door closed behind. David seemed more irritated than sad. The two had been pulled out of school for the week due to the occasion, and though neither would miss being with their family at a time like this he seemed grouchy in a way that made her think he missed class.

Ama wasn't sure how she felt. She was sad, sure, but there was something else grabbing her asides from her father's demise. Something that snagged her attention but eluded her every time she sat to think about it. Whenever something like this happened she usually went to her sister for help. Audrey was always good to talk to and helped her form her thoughts. But Audrey had been distant and distraught from the moment she had picked them up. She just kept smiling weakly, always looking as though she were about to cry though she never did. For the past few days Audrey had mostly just sat next to her grandmother, the pair sitting quietly as they suffered.

The mantle of action star was therefore taken up by Percy. It was he who had gone to St. Mungos and handled all the paper work. It had been he who had found the funeral plans made for Chris in case an event like this occurred, and it was he who had executed them diligently. Transportation, floral arrangements, the wake; all of these had been handled by Percy without the Larrabee's needing to bat an eye. She had been watching him take care of her family as they all reacted their own private ways, and it occurred to her that no one had thanked him yet. She was about to speak up and do so when another though passed through her mind.

Percy was smart. He had dealt with death. And while not like her sister she had come to see him as both an older brother and now a new resource of direction to tap. Without another thought she turned to him, allowing her first inclination to fall out of her mouth in order to sort out her worried feelings.

"Percy, do you remember what you were like when you were eleven?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.

"Hmmm?" he hummed in response, seemingly only half listening as he went about trying to clean off a tile stain that was over forty years old.

"Do you remember things from when you were eleven?" she repeated seriously. Percy stopped his pursuit of cleaning, recognizing the weight of her tone and transferring his full attention to her.

"Sure, it was the year I started school and began the basics for learning magic…"

"Do you remember stuff about yourself?" she interrupted earnestly, honing in on just what she wanted to talk about. "How you felt about things and people, what you liked or disliked, specifically when you were eleven? Not just vague childhood memories."

Percy frowned as he reflected on the question, digging deep into the recesses of his mind to give an answer.

"I remember being happy to get away from home, having some time to myself and getting away from the twins and the whiny younger ones." he answered, taking a seat at the table. "But that first night I couldn't sleep because I couldn't stop thinking of how lonely it was without all of them. I also remember my strong aversion to Care of Magical Creatures…"

"What about your parents?" she pressed, taking a seat next to him with wide brown eyes. "Do you remember what you and your parents were like specifically at eleven?"

"Erm…I mean I guess they were proud of me for going to school and we missed each other…" Percy offered, feeling a little lost in the direction of conversation.

"That's all I can remember too," Ama replied, looking down at her lap. "I was eleven when Mum died and Dad had his accident."

"Oh…" Percy remarked, looking about the empty kitchen as the gravity of the conversation hit him. With no one else in sight he realized it was up to him to bring about some emotional comfort to this distraught teenager. He gulped as she continued.

"I mean eleven is old enough to have good memories, right?" she asked in worry, looking to him for confirmation. "And I do have memories. My dad teaching me to fly and my mom brushing my hair in the morning…only they all just seem so generic. Like they're just flashes of anyone's childhood. I can't seem to remember specific details. Like I know my dad had this really unique laugh but I can't remember what it sounded like. And a lot of times when I think of Mum I see Audrey in her place. I have to look at pictures to remind myself of how they looked different, but even still I just see Audrey."

"Ama, I…"

"I'm sad that they're dead," Ama continued, her penchant for getting her point across as strong as her sister's, "I wish they were still here because I felt like I didn't really get a chance to get to know them. But also I can't really remember what life was like back then since I am so used to the way things are now. Back then…well it feels like a distant dream. Does that make me a bad daughter?"

"No!" Percy interjected quickly. "No of course not! All this happened to you during an age when you were just starting to really be aware the way you are now. It's perfectly understandable…"

"I know it's understandable, but I feel like I am taking this all so lightly. I don't think I am much sadder now than I was when he was alive but at the hospital," she pressed guiltily. "And if I am being completely honest I almost feel…relieved. I'm not supposed to feel that, am I?"

Percy fell silent for a moment, staring in to Ama's large brown eyes as she eagerly awaited an answer. He hardly knew what to say. He sympathized with her and wanted to make her feel better. Nothing that she had said seemed like it was wrong, however he couldn't imagine how she felt. He dreaded the day his parents died, now more than ever. But he knew them well, not just as parents but also as people, so the loss would be almost doubled. He was never very good at this sort of thing and he hated failing Ama as she requested some comfort. So he merely did what he could, which was grabbing her hand and saying the only thing he could think of.

"I think you're allowed to feel however you want to feel," he offered simply. "There is no right or wrong way to think when someone you love dies. You love them, you miss them, but you find a healthy way to cope and move on. It's what they would have wanted."

This apparently seemed to be a proper thing to say, as instantly a slow but steady smile filled Ama's face.

"I know exactly how you feel," a voice called out from the living room. Percy and Ama both turned to see David walking into the kitchen, his tie perfectly straight even after using it to wipe his glasses. Percy caught a brief glimpse of his frightening scar and his blank left eye before he returned the glasses to his face.

"I remember Mum and Dad much more but a lot has happened. It's hard to remember what it was like when they were around," David replied matter-of-factly. "And I too am glad Dad's finally gone."

"David," Percy exclaimed quietly, shocked to hear the young prefect state something so bluntly.

"My father died a long time ago," David defended. "That man who lay in the hospital for so long was an empty shell. My father would have hated living like that and would have preferred death. It's better this way."

And then as an addition a soft smile filled his face as he looked at his little sister.

"Besides, now he gets to be with Mum."

Percy couldn't help but smile at this romantic statement from such a perfunctory young man. It seemed so foreign yet so in character for the only male Larrabee to say. Ama too seemed happy with the words, especially as it seemed to trigger a forgotten memory.

"Dad was always hopeless without Mum around," she added happily.

"You remember what it was like when he tried to cook us dinner when she was out of town?" David asked, grinning as he joined them at the table.

"She would go mental! He would wreck the kitchen looking for something he could never find, put everything back in the wrong place and then would just feed us ice cream sundaes!" Ama responded, a gleeful look about her face brought on by the memory. Percy joined in the laughter as David retold the story of when his father was put in charge of ordering for the week at their record store and they ended up with a 450 copies of the Thomason Twin's last album.

"They marked them down under a pound and still couldn't sell any of them," David explained through laughs, "I think they eventually just put them in a box outside and let kids take them to throw at moving cars or something."

The three of them gave out another round of laughter, silenced only when they heard the clearing of a throat.

"I hate to break up a good time," Audrey stated flatly, her face drained as she threw on her coat. "But it's time to go to the funeral."

Audrey's siblings both winced at her tone of voice and quickly stood up from the table, matching looks of guilt flashing across their faces as they grabbed their own coats. Percy frowned at the incident, but shook it off quickly to put his arm around Audrey's waist.

"What about Nana?" he asked, looking back at the closed bedroom door behind them.

"She's not coming," Audrey stated roughly, pushing his arm away as she reached for the car keys.

"What? Why not?" Percy asked in shock, taking a step back.

"Apparently after burying her parents, a husband and a daughter-in-law she is all mourned out," Audrey spat cynically. "David, Ama! I'm not going to tell you again!"

And with that she marched out the door, straight to the family's Volkswagen beetle.

"I couldn't find my jacket," Ama explained sadly as she paused to put it on by the door.

"You're alright, dear," Percy smiled, kissing her head before holding the door open for her. She was quickly followed by her brother who held a stony look about his face, one which made it seem like it had been years since he had smiled instead of seconds.

Percy couldn't help but frown again over Audrey's reaction at her siblings, but shook it off as he waved his wand to lock the door behind him.

Years later when Audrey looked back on her father's funeral she could still feel her head spinning the way it had that day. The whole thing was a blur. Only flashes ever came to mind:

The silence of the car ride.

The damp grass of the Muggle cemetery where her grandfather and mother had been laid to rest.

The sea of black and red as she was embraced by Weasleys of all calibers and their significant others.

The whimpered cries of baby Cara Grumman, shushed gently by her mother Valencia as her old boss Spiro spoke to her gently.

The solemn voice of the priest as he gave his funeral oration.

Yet despite remembering her feelings of dizziness and nausea, not much else about the occasion stuck. She didn't remember the color of her father's casket, or if she waved good-bye before they laid him in the ground. She couldn't tell anyone what kind of flowers lay between her parents' graves. She couldn't even remember if she had cried.

No, it was not what was there that Audrey had focused on that day, but rather that which wasn't.

An involuntary sigh slipped past her lips as she threw her head back upon the worn pillow. The old twin bed creaked from disuse as she stretched upon it. Above her head a faded star chart twinkled and turned according to the earth's rotation. If it had been any other time she would have recalled the first time she had been to Percy's old room at the Burrow, and smiled happily at the memory that it was while sitting on this very bed that she realized that she loved him.

But she did not want to think about happy things. By the sounds of the laughter and clangs downstairs the house was already far too cheery for such a day.

"Audrey, darling," a quiet and familiar voice called out from the door. Audrey sighed again, shifting over so her back faced the inquisitor. Apparently reading this as a sign of invitation, Percy walked into the room and sat gently on the edge of the bed.

"We're missing you downstairs," Percy offered lightly, rubbing her covered leg in affection. "Why don't you come down and eat something?"

"I'm not hungry," she stated bluntly. Then with a trace of bitterness she added:

"Besides, I'd hate to spoil all the fun everyone seems to be having at the wake by being moody over my father being dead."

"What? That's absurd!" Percy replied with an uncomfortable laugh. "Everyone is here because of your dad…"

"No!" she interrupted quickly, spinning around and facing him angrily. "No they are not! They are here for me, because you asked them to. Not one bloody person is here because of my father!"

She leapt of the bed, pacing to the window with angry steps.

"Honey, we're all terribly sad for your loss…"

"Yes, yes, _**my**_ loss. You really hit it on the nose, as usual," she scoffed bitterly. "Everyone is here because they feel bad for me."

"Audrey, you have every right to be upset, I just don't understand…"

"My father was a great man!" she shouted at him furiously. "He made friends with everyone he met, played in countless bands, did charity work for the poor neighborhoods we used to live in, he touched countless lives. And where the hell are all those people?"

Percy's brow furrowed, the only action allotted in the time before Audrey started up again.

"Gone, that's where they are! Moved on with their own lives! And why did they do that? Because my father dropped everything after Mum died to make sure me and David and Ama were all safe. And how do we repay him? They don't even _**remember **_him!" she screamed, suppressed tears rolling down her face.

Percy stood frozen in place as he stared at her, his mind reeling as he grasped for the right thing to say.

"He's dead," she whimpered in a voice so low compared to her last outburst Percy could hardly hear her. "He's dead because of me. I wiped away his memory, killed him, and then wiped away everyone's memory of him."

"Audrey, don't talk like that," he pleaded, slowly wrapping his arms around her from behind. He exhaled safely when she didn't pull away. "This wasn't your fault. You loved your father and he loved you. Don't torture yourself, he wouldn't have wanted that."

"And how would you know that?" she snapped at him, jerking out of his hold. "How would anyone know what he would have wanted?"

"What kind of father would wish that upon his daughter?" Percy asked matter-of-factly, not considering his tone when he spoke. "And who wouldn't prefer death over what he was going through?"

"So you're happy he's dead, too?" Audrey shrieked hysterically, her heart racing and breaking all at once as the blood rushed to her cheeks.

"No! Audrey, of course not!"

"What a huge inconvenience I must be," Audrey stated darkly. "What a relief it must be for you to have one fewer of my family to deal with."

"You're upset, I get it sweetheart, but you're not thinking clearly! Please," Percy pleaded, reaching out to grab her hand. Audrey yanked it away as though disgusted. The look caused Percy to feel like he had been struck by a bolt of lightning.

"I need to get out of here," she muttered, shaking her head as she pulled out her wand.

"Let me take us home," Percy suggested quickly, fearing she may splinch herself if she Apperated in her state.

"_We_ don't have a home," Audrey stated icily. She watched the hurt splash across his face at her statement. Percy literally stumbled back as though she had struck him with her fist.

"You need to stay at your place," she commanded, turning on the spot before he could respond or see the tears in her eyes.

Shite.

That's what she was.

Shite.

She felt like it, looked like it, thought like it, hell she probably even smelled like it. She couldn't remember the last time she had showered. While she closed her eyes each night and woke up every morning he sleep didn't seem to be sticking. Meals were sparse and forgettable. Work only seemed like a habit rather than a passion. Her whole body ached and she was in danger of breaking down anytime she looked at the red paint in front of her.

It had been a week since the funeral. A whole week since she had seen him, talked to him. She went straight to her flat and exploded in fear, anger and despair. After there was nothing left to break in her living room she collapsed into a heap on the floor as she cried for everything she had lost. She sobbed for her mother and father, for the way her siblings were forced to grow up, and how terribly she had treated the once person in the world who could actually make her feel better.

He had knocked on her door sometime in the night, though she had no idea if it had been minutes after she had left or hours. He called out for her, apologized despite not having done anything wrong and told her that he loved her. He pleaded for her to speak to him even if it was through a closed door.

"Just tell me what I can do to help you," he pleaded, his voice cracking as he fought tears. "I'll do anything."

The problem was she believed him. She knew if she just opened the door he would rush in and embrace her. She would cry hysterically in his arms as he stroked her hair, kissed every inch of her face and showered her with soothing sentiments and endearments. He would dismiss her wailed apologies, tell her she had every right to be upset, but emphatically state that she was not alone, that he would never let her be alone. He would kiss her through the tears, and the sobs and the snot and not even hesitate when she went from shaking like a child to demanding he take her as a woman. For a few blissful moments there would only be Percy and pleasure. Afterwards she would collapse into a heap, spent in every way possible, and wake up in the morning knowing that someday soon it would all be alright.

But she didn't want it to be alright. She didn't want to go on like nothing ever happened. She didn't deserve to feel good and be treated with all the care and affection Percy so eagerly wanted to give her.

She deserved to be treated like shite, because that's what she was.

It had been a week since she had last seen Percy, but every night he still came to her door and spoke to her. She refrained from speaking, afraid to even tell him to leave for fear of caving in. She tried to block out his voice but she was magnetically drawn to the sound.

"_He's not going to wait around forever,"_ a small, sane voice warned from inside her. "_He'll wait longer than he should, and he'd forgive you quicker than you deserve, but not if you continue to treat him this way._"

Audrey's hand trembled at her thought, causing ink to blot all over her latest invoice as her quill shook.

She knew she had to talk to him. _Needed _to. She ached for him and her depression was only intensified by his absence. If she could have two wishes in the world the second would be for him to walk through the door at that very moment so she could beg for his forgiveness and understanding. But she knew it wouldn't happen. He wouldn't risk having a fight at her work, just to have to leave with them either both feeling all the more miserable or wanting nothing but to escape back to her flat and let the rest of the world vanish around them.

"Tonight," she said out loud, as though this made it official. Tonight she would not only answer him at the door but open it. She would try to explain to him why she had been acting the way she had. All she wanted was someone else who knew her father as she did, someone else who truly understood what a supreme loss it was that he was gone. Not just someone who was his acquaintance before, or those who only knew him after the accident, or internalized him as "Audrey Larrabee's father", but someone who knew him for him. If she could never hear him sing "Golden Slumbers" to her again as she went off to bed, she wanted someone who knew he always hummed the chorus a final time before tucking her in. If he was to never laugh she wanted someone who could remind her what his favorite jokes were. If he was never going to save another soul, she wanted at least one other person who was grateful that Christopher Larrabee had at least been a presence in their own life.

Audrey sighed wretchedly. A part of her felt she was owed this. She needed someone who understood her on this and refused to talk to anyone until she got them. She didn't want condolences or questions asking how s_he_ was doing. She was still alive. She knew that if something were to happen to her there were plenty of people who would mourn and remember her. That's all she wanted for her father.

But another part of her, one which was growing more dominate, knew she was being childish. Her father's life happened as it happened. He wouldn't want her pushing everyone away just because they had never gotten to know him. And that's just what would happen if she continued to act like she was.

Her dark brown eyes shot over to the clock. It was still early. If she left now she could catch him at his Apperation point at the Ministry. Or wait for him at his house. Or just throw respect to the grindylows and catch him at work. She would give him no course for tears, and it wouldn't be the first time they had used his desk for something other than exception reports.

The ting of the bell caused her heart to skip as the front door opened. Percy had beaten her to it, she smiled. She rushed to the front, craving to embrace him and beg for his forgiveness.

Her running feet stopped so quickly when she saw who was at the door she nearly tripped.

"Hiya, Audrey-cat," the blonde haired man said sheepishly, giving her a smile that still floored her in spite of everything.

"Warren!"

Audrey stood in shock as her ex-fiancé presented her with a bouquet of sunflowers and a cup of coffee.


End file.
